Omaha daily bee., 1887-08-03
Mr., MORRlSON'S AMBITION.
He Wants to Be Vioe-President or United
States Senator.
ANTlQUATEO ARMY OFFICERS.


tary Progress - Commissioners
Sparks Renders an Import
ant Dectsion-Wa Washington.
Morrison Wants the Vice Presidency.
WASHINGTON, August g. Special to the
BEE. "A gentleman who is on intimate
terms with Colonel Morrison says the inter-
state commerce commissioner is not so anx-
ious to return to his seat In the house of rep.
resentatives as he Is generally thought to be.
"The one thing which Colonel Morrison de-
sires above anything else," said his friend,
"is the nomination for the vice presidency on
the democratic ticket. He is very desrous,
indeed, to be honored by his party with that
nomination. If he fails to secure that honor,
he will allow his name to be used as a candi-
date for the seat now occupied in the house
by Jehu Baker. Mr.. Morrison's friend says
that he is determined to end his political ca
reer in the United States senate II 1t can pos.
ident Of the nation. he will enter the upper
branch of congress through the doors of the
lower branch. Then when there is a vacant
seat in the senate to I'LL, he will offer his
of course, that there is democratic majority
in that body. All of the colonels neighbors
who are now In Washington seem to think
that with democratic majority in the Ill
nois legislature Mr. Morrison would surely
be the chosen candidate Of the party for the
senate"
Antiquated Omcers.
WASHINGTON, August 2.-lSpecial to the
BEE. Tho proposed scheme for army
maneuvers which has been brOached lately
meets with the cordial approval of all the
younger officers of the service. The old
heads, however, are not attracted by the
plans which are said to be maturing by the
lieutenant-general of the army. IL Is said in
support of the proposed plans that the con-
tact with regular troops would prove highly
beneficial to the militia organizations OF the
country. This is doubtful. 1t Is TAR more
likely that the regulars would be materially
benefited by contact with well drilled militia.
1t is lamentablo fact, but one that can be
readily substantiated, that the regular army
of the United States is at present in worse
shape than any other military ORGANIZATION
In the civilized world. There are hundreds
OF men on the active list of the army to-day
Some ofithe infantry officers are incapactated
from active duty because they are minus a
Think of colonel of infantry leading his
command with only one sound leg to march
on!
In the cavalry and artillery branches of
the service nearly every officer above the
rank of captain, is more than fifty years OF
age. and large percentage of these officers
will never see sixty again. A great majority
of the captains and considerable number OF
the lieutenants in all the branches of the
are @d s %th who
ought to have been placed on the retired list
many years ago. The fact that an officer
who enters the service Is a lieutenant has no
chance of winning majors shOulder-knOts
during his natural life, is serious detrlment
to the service. There Is no man who knows
this better than General Sheridan and 1t
is doubtless because Of this knowledge that
he desires to bring the officers together in
order that those who are absolutely UNITED
may be selected for retirement These old
officers have been excellent men in their day,
and many Of them are entitled to all the
a grateful country. But the retired list is
| Open to them and rs they are of no use what
| ever in training up an army it Is only right
| that they should retire to make room for
| more energetic and younger men. There Is
| no doubt whatever that the esprit de corps
| of the army would be greatly stimulated by
the creation of few vacancies at the head
of the list, and IL is to be hoped that the pro-
gramme of General Sheridan will be fully
carried out.
The Omaha Co.'S Wisconsin Lands.
WASHINGTON, August 2.-Commissioner
Sparks has completed the adjustment OF the
grant to the state of Wisconsin by the act OF
| June g. 1856, and May s, 1864. to aid in the
construction of what is now the Chicago, St
Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha railway. The
| commissioner finds the area of the grant
after deducting the quantity excluded from
the operation of the grant by reservations
under prior grants, etc., to be 654,2l7 acres
or this amount 49s,6O5 acres have already
been approved, 42,124 acres are
vacant and subject to selection, which
added to 3O,6s2 acres, the amout OF
the Indemnity heretofore approved
| leaves S2S05 acres acres as the amount O
indemnity Que The railway company ha!
| made indemnity selections to the amount OF
277,279 acres on account OF the main, line
! Thus, according to the commissioners fig
ures, an excess of l94, $40 acres has been Sc
selected about 10000 acres are within tht
granted limits of the grant TO the Northern
Pacific road and are therefore not subject II
selection by the Omaha company as indem
nifty. AS to the the remainder, amounting II
about l54, ,159 acres, the commissioner recon-
mends that the selections be cancelled ant
] the lands restored to the public domain. Ii
| this adjustment the commissioner Ignores
the branch line as having no grant to ad
just.
Pensions Granted Westerners.
| WASHINGTON, August 2.-ISpecial Tele
gram to the BEE. THE following Nebras
kans have been granted PENSIONS: James ID
Bloomer, Belvidere, increase; Charles w
Freed, Blue Springs; Alva Misner Hampton
James &. Hauer, Exeter.
Iowa pensions: Mary E., widow of Georg
w. Colville, Oskaloosa; Margaret, mother o
Charles Moore, Center Point, originals
William >. Barbee, Rhodes; William, e
Iowa City; Alfred Mcneil, Dallas SheH
perd j. Maggie Drakeville;, Charles W
Nash, lndianOla: William Helker, Carthage